RESTAURANTS

Friday, 19 February 2010

Diane von Furstenberg and the Essential Dress……………………….

With all the hype for London Fashion Week opening today, and overshadowed by the death of Alexander McQueen, I am, I have to confess, more inspired as always to react against those catwalk pieces impossible to wear by anyone other than a size 0 (if we're still allowed to talk about size 0) model and focus on the staples of everyone's wardrobe.

Incidentally, although there may be the odd size 2 or 4 in evidence, the thinnest of models are all still there. The debate goes on, is it the model agencies? Is it the designers themselves? Is it the buyers who want to see these extraordinarily thin girls? I certainly don't have the answer and I'm not in that business any more (thank goodness), but as I remember when I was, the sample sizes were always for very thin people, as they must be now, and so it undoubtedly goes on. Take a look at the latest reports in the Daily Telegraph and I think you have to agree, if you're not into skinny you won't get onto that catwalk.

So, back to the point of today and what we all really love to wear - a dress. Wear it for day, dress it up for evening, go for a wrap, shift, shirt, body-con, jersey, satin, silk or wool; dresses are the backbone of any great wardrobe as I'm sure you'll agree. What would we do without them? I'm sure there was a time when I used to wear pant suits or skirts but now, whether it's for a meeting or out for dinner, it's always a dress. So along with handbags, jewellery and shoes, I've become a dress collector as well.

As everyone does I've made some horrific mistakes, but one designer who never puts a foot wrong (well almost never) and who has never allowed me to is Diane von Furstenberg. Yes her dresses are expensive in most cases (although you can usually find excellent bargains in the sales and at places such as The Outnet) but the ones that I have I wear over and over again and I'm always on the look-out for something new to add to my collection.

Here are my six favourites from Spring/Summer 2010. Which one will I invest in? The jury's out, I can't decide. I think I need my hand held. Well ok, if I'm really going to be honest, I'd like them all! Well, having said that, there is only one black one, so this season, so me? hmmmmmmm.